This Fire is Out of Control - Calgary Flames BaGM

[seb170455]

Looks good I say.

[bthomp05]

Looks good.

[moose141]

Nice dynasty going here, I like some of the roster shakeups you made here in the offseason, should really make it interesting as you try to build on a solid playoff run.

[Kovaz477]

Pre-season edition



2012-2013 Season Preview

The Calgary Flames returned to the playoffs last season, after a two year hiatus. Not only that, they won their first round series for the first time since the lockout. Despite bowing out to Chicago in the second round, the season has to be qualified as a success, as the Flames made a giant leap towards respectability. A strong defensive mindset and timely scoring from throughout the lineup, as well as a resurgence from Miikka Kiprusoff, were the biggest reasons for their success.

Forwards

RW Jarome Iginla
2011-2012 stats: 59GP 26G 27A 53P, +12
The Flames' captain will once again be expected to lead the way on offense. Despite missing 23 games with a broken leg, Iginla still managed to score 26 goals last season. Although his string of consecutive 30-goal seasons was broken, Iginla was still a force to be reckoned with. However, at the age of 35, it remains to be seen how many years of top-line scoring Iginla has in him. With players like Teemu Selanne and Nicklas Lidstrom playing into their 40's, it's possible that Iginla will follow suit. Still, there is pressure to win now, with Iginla still in his prime.
Prediction: 35G 45A 80P

C Derek Roy
2011-2012 stats: 59GP 24G 20A 44P, +13
The big off-season acquisition, Roy is arguably the most skilled center Iginla has ever had to work with. He has missed considerable time the last few seasons with injuries, but he is an extremely skilled playmaker who can put the puck in the net as well. Playing between Iginla and Bourque should lead to healthy assist numbers. Another overlooked contribution is his skill in the faceoff circle, an area where the Flames have struggled in the past
Prediction: 20G 50A 70P

LW Rene Bourque
2011-2012 stats: 75GP 21G 11A 32P, -11
Bourque had an off year last season, scoring his lowest point total as a Flame and going double-digit negative for the second season in a row. He did rebound in the playoffs, however, scoring 9 goals to pace the Flames. Bourque has always been somewhat of an enigma, and there's a sense that, playing with Roy and Iginla on the top line, this is his last chance to impress. Bourque has the skill, the only question is does he have the commitment.
Prediction: 30G 30A 60P

LW Kristian Huselius
2011-2012 stats: 82GP 26G 41A 67P, -8
Huselius returns for a second round with the Flames. He was allowed to walk as a free agent after falling out with then-head coach Mike Keenan. Huselius has always had dazzling skill and he is a huge asset on the powerplay. His work in the defensive zone has always been the big question mark. However, with the loss of Alex Tanguay and Curtis Glencross, Huselius will be counted on to fill a pretty big hole, and if Bourque struggles he could see time on the top line.
Prediction: 25G 35A 60P

C Olli Jokinen
2011-2012 stats: 65 GP 10G 19A 29P, -10
Jokinen missed a significant amount of time with a concussion last season, and it's speculated that he wasn't entirely recovered when he returned to the lineup. He had a poor year, for sure, but, like Bourque, rebounded in the playoffs with 12 points in 14 games. Jokinen will be under pressure to perform on the second line, with young guns Mikael Granlund and Mikael Backlund both looking to sneak into the top 6. He's had moments of greatness in the past, but is too often drifting, throwing blind passes at the net and hoping, rather than making things happen.
Prediction: 15G 40A 55P

RW Lee Stempniak
2011-2012 stats: 79 GP 12G 19A 31P, +0
Stempniak floated around the Flames' lineup for a good chunk of the season before finally getting settled on the third line with Backlund and Greg Nemisz. There, he found some chemistry and was one of the Flames' better forwards down the stretch. He'll likely step in on the second line and be expected to perform more of a scoring role this year.
Prediction: 20G 25A 45P

C Mikael Backlund
2011-2012 stats: 82GP 8G 13A 21P, -4
Backlund was expected to challenge for a top-6 forward spot last season, but Brendan Morrison had his best year in recent memory to lock down that number one center spot. There's a sense that Backlund may have missed his chance now that Derek Roy is here. Still, he's a skilled young player who has evolved into a complete player in all areas of the ice. He's been solid on the PK and although he hasn't put the puck in the net much, he's been dependable.
Prediction: 15G 20A 35P

C Mikael Granlund
2011-2012 stats: N/A
Granlund has yet to play a game in either the NHL or AHL, but has performed well internationally with Team Finland in the World Juniors. He's a skilled playmaker who has great potential, but there are questions about his size and strength.
Prediction: 10G 15A 25P

RW Greg Nemisz
2011-2012 stats: 76GP 17G 9A 26P, -2
Nemisz finally cracked the big leagues after several years of toil in the AHL, and he did not disappoint. The Flames are expecting big things of this kid, who potted 17 goals in his rookie year. He's got the potential to crack the top-6 soon, and plays a physical game, which has the Flames excited. He's got the skillset to be a legit scorer in this league, the only question is when he'll follow through on his potential.
Prediction: 20G 15A 35P

RW David Moss
2011-2012 stats: 71GP 11G 13A 24P, +5
Moss has bounced around the Flames lineup for years now. He's always been somewhere between a third-line grinder and a second-line scorer. He's scored 20 twice in the past, but has also scored as few as 8 goals. He's not going to be looked at in a scoring role this year, but he can put the puck in the net from time to time.
Prediction: 10G 10A 20P

C Vernon Fiddler
2011-2012 stats: 74GP 10G 8A 18P, -2
Fiddler was brought in at the trade deadline last season to help the Flames in the faceoff circle, improve the PK, and add grit to the team. He's an honest worker and you know exactly what you're going to get out of him. He dumps the puck in and chases, crashes the net, and generally gets under the other team's skin. The type of player you need to win in the playoffs, but he doesn't score a lot
Prediction: 5G 10A 15P

RW Brett Connolly
2011-2012 stats: N/A
Another skilled young playmaker who has yet to play a game of professional hockey, he's got the same type of scouting report as Granlund. Skilled, good hands, loads of potential, but there are concerns about his strength and he's inexperienced. It would not be a surprise if he found himself playing in Abbotsford.
Prediction: 5G 15A 20P

RW Chris Clark
2011-2012 stats: 53GP 5G 10A 15P, -3
A grinder who was brought in to add veteran experience and grit, Clark is on the tail end of his career. Another former Flame making a return, Clark was part of the 2004 finals run team. He plays a sound defensive game and plays physical. He's going to be depended upon largely for leadership as the Flames will ice a young forward group this year. Former captain of the Washington Capitals, Clark has the experience.
Prediction: 5G 5A 10P

Defensemen

Mark Giordano
2011-2012 stats: 82 GP 10G 27A 37P, +0
Giordano has been the Flames' best defenseman for several seasons now. With the departure of Robyn Regehr, he has stepped into more of a shutdown role, taking more minutes against tough opposition. He's got offensive skill as well. He makes a good first pass and can carry the puck, as well as quarterback a powerplay. He takes a few too many risks however, and he can get caught out of position, but no one works harder to recover from mistakes.
Prediction: 10G 30A 40P

Jay Bouwmeester
2011-2012 stats: 82GP 3G 24A 27P, +2
It's pretty much established by now that Bouwmeester is no longer the scoring threat he once was. He's established himself as a consistent defender who can play against anyone and can play a ton of minutes. He's also the NHL's current iron-man, not having missed a game since the lockout. He's in a contract year, so we should see an above-average performance from him.
Prediction: 5G 35A 40P

Scott Hannan
2011-2012 stats: 73GP 2G 11A 13P, +3
Hannan has stepped in and done an admirable job filling the hole left by Robyn Regehr. He plays a physical game and isn't afraid to challenge anyone. He doesn't pick up many points, prefering to play safe and get the puck out.
Prediction: 2G 10A 12P

Nicklas Grossman
2011-2012 stats: 72GP 0G 9A 9P, +3
The other half of the Flames physical second D-pair, Grossman hits hard and often. Grossman and Hannan play very similar games, both prefering to take the man, win the puck, and get it out. They've been dependable for the majority of the last season and are a big reason why the Flames were in the top-10 for goals allowed last season
Prediction: 0G 10A 10P

Chris Butler
2011-2012 stats: 82GP 6G 12A 18P, -4
Butler plays more of an all-around game in the third pairing. He has more puck-moving ability than either Hannan or Grossman, but has a penchant for getting himself in trouble by over committing to offense. He is an asset on the powerplay and can distribute the puck fairly well.
Prediction: 5G 10A 15P

Jim Vandermeer
2011-2012 stats: 68GP 3G 1A 4P, -4
The only new addition to the Flames' D, Vandermeer is yet another physical defenseman who will take the body in all situations but does not have much puck-moving ability. The Flames found out the hard way why defensive depth is a good thing last season, and they aren't keen to find themselves in the same situation this year,
Prediction: 1G 5A 6P

Goaltenders

Miikka Kiprusoff
2011-2012 stats: (36-30) .908 SV% 2.54 GAA 6 SO
Kiprusoff played a fairly average season by his standards last year, before shutting the door in the playoffs to lead the Flames to the second round. The Flames did their best to keep him fresh for the playoffs, limiting him to 68 games, and it seems to have worked. However, Kiprusoff is getting older and, like Iginla, figures to have only a few good years left before he's no longer a superstar.
Prediction: 65 GP, 35-30 .910 SV% 2.45 GAA 5 SO

Henrik Karlsson
2011-2012 stats: (8-8) .899 SV% 2.92 GAA 1 SO
Contestant number 1 for the backup position, Karlsson was the backup last year and performed decently, but more is expected of him. He has looked like the goalie of the future on several occasions, but has also given up some weak goals. That said, he was perfect in the pre-season. I'm not going to predict stats because I can't decide whether Karlsson or Irving should get the job.

Leland Irving
2011-2012 stats: (11-7) .919 SV% 2.07 GAA 1 SO (AHL)
Irving is the heir apparent to Kiprusoff's throne, after two stellar seasons in Abbotsford. He was considered the favorite to be Kiprusoff's backup last season, before Karlsson stole the show in the pre-season. He played well in pre-season, and it's a tough call whether he gets his shot at NHL action.



Overall:
2011-2012 stats: (44-32-6) 232 GF 220 GA
Last year was a successful season on the whole, and this year the Flames look to build on that success. It's going to be a battle to the finish for the Northwest crown as the Flames have added a few key pieces, while the Oilers have another year of experience for their young core. The Wild weren't far back last year either and they should figure into the race. However, the Flames have the most experience in playoff situations, and with Iginla and Kiprusoff, anything can happen.

My goals for this year are to win the division and to try to at least make it to the conference finals. Obviously the Stanley Cup is the eventual goal, but I want to make deep playoff runs a regular occurrence with this team. Also, I'm looking to get Iginla up there on the scoring charts again, and to develop all the prospects I've acquired recently.
Prediction: (46-30-6) 98 pts

[bthomp05]

Awesome write-up, very detailed.

[SENS_AK27]

Nice write-ups ... I will be following.

[Kovaz477]

5-GAME UPDATE

The Flames are off to a solid start to the 2012-2013 season, going 4-1 through their first five games, and looking good doing it. The top line has had instant chemistry, but it's been a strange reversal of roles as Derek Roy has scored 4 goals while Jarome Iginla leads the team with 6 assists. The second line has done its part as well, with Olli Jokinen and Lee Stempniak each scoring 4 goals and 2 assists.

Although it is a small sample size, Jay Bouwmeester has given a hint that he may be recovering some of his offensive form from his Florida days, potting 2 goals through the first 5 games after only reaching 3 a year ago. More importantly than just the goals, he's looked dangerous offensively skating with the puck and has made some good pinches into the slot when a chance has been there.

The Goaltending has been stellar as well. Miikka Kiprusoff is up to his old tricks, again, and Leland Irving looked fantastic in his lone start, a 5-2 win over Dallas.

The Flames finish up a 3-game homestand with games against LA and St. Louis before embarking on a 5-game road trip beginning in Edmonton.

[Kovaz477]

So I think this is going to be what updates look like from now on. I should be able to stick with going every 5 games, as long as I can keep them lightweight so they're less of a hassle to do.

Let me know if there're any other stats you'd like to see. I'll probably throw in some more league-wide stats maybe every 20 games or so.